Forever
by rcs17
Summary: ONE-SHOT SEQUEL TO "ALWAYS." Clary and Jace's life after they graduate high school. YOU DO NOT HAVE TO READ "ALWAYS" TO READ THIS.


**A/N: I know, I meant to post this before Christmas but I just didn't get around to finishing it. It's fairly short, but I enjoyed writing it. **

**Disclaimer: I do not own The Mortal Instruments. **

**Enjoy! ;)**

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**Forever**

Darkness consumed New York City. The city lights looked like stars against the dark skies. Always remaining, never fading. Those who walked through the night held their jackets closer to their body in an effort to keep warm. Christmas lights winked from the trees lining the narrow side-walks. Twinkling Christmas trees, just barely visible from the ground, appeared in each window. It seemed as if the city was at peace. Clary watched it all from the small apartment in Brooklyn. A thin blanket was cloaked around her shoulders and her nose was pink with cold. She heard the muted protests of her children as her husband struggled to put them to sleep. Her husband.  
They day they got married was still a clear picture in her head. Her dress was a pure white color. It weighed her down in heavy silk that tumbled to the ground. A pregnant Isabelle, had done her make-up natural. Clary had been scared at first. When Luke showed up to walk her down the aisle, she had been close to tears. But looking down the aisle at Jace, she had known there was nothing to be afraid of. The tears finally spilled over at that.  
Even now, a eight years later, Clary couldn't bring herself to regret her decision. She found joy in waking up every morning next to Jace. He was a loving husband and a careful father.  
Familiar warm arms wrapped around her shoulders. "Everything's okay, Mr. Lightwood?" Clary asked.  
Jace pressed his chin into her shoulder. "The kids are fast asleep, Mrs. Lightwood. Although, Ari put up quite the fight."  
"That's good." She leaned back into his embrace and entwined their fingers together. Her free hand skimmed over the small baby bump.  
"Why are you out here?" asked Jace. "It's cold." He rubbed his hands up and down her arms in an effort to warm her chilled skin.  
Clary nuzzled her nose into his neck. "I like it," she said. "The lights against the dark sky...it's beautiful."  
He kissed the sensitive skin under her ear. "Not more than you."  
"We've been together for eight years and you still can't drop the corny compliments. Slick, Herondale." Clary laughed.  
"Mm." His fingers traveled from her upper arm with a light touch. She shivered, though it wasn't from the cold. It was from the electrifying feel of his skin on hers, a feeling she still loved. She spun around in his grasp and snaked her arms around his neck. Jace looked above him and grinned. "Wow," he said.  
"What?" Clary followed his gaze upwards. Above them was a green wad of paper, obviously meant to be a mistletoe. "Do you think...Chris?"  
"Nah." Jace chucked. "Definitely something Ari would do. Although how they managed to get it up there frightens me." He gazed into his wife's warm green gaze and smirked. "It would be rude to leave a man waiting under the mistletoe."  
"Well, I'm not known as a nice person." Clary pressed a hand to the back of his neck.  
"No. You're mean. _Very_ mean." He leaned down and pressed his lips to hers. It was a quiet moment, though the fluttering of Jace's heart was unmistakeable. After all this time, it was good to know the effect she had on him hadn't changed. All of their memories flooded into that one kiss. The songs they sang together, the fights they had, the kisses they shared. Isabelle and Simon's wedding, Jonathan's wedding, Chris' first cries, Luke and Jocelyn balancing their grandchildren on their knees. All of that was pushed into the moment. The warmth of each other's lips melted away all the cold.  
Clary felt a small chilling sensation on her shoulder. She broke away from Jace and looked up. Small snowflakes fell from the sky. They whirled around the couple in a careful dance, nestling themselves into Jace's hair and landing on Clary's nose. Clary pressed her back to Jace's stomach and gazed at the sky. She wondered of there was a song to describe how she felt at that moment. She wondered whether there was a melody for the feelings of happiness and dizziness that folded inside of her. She racked her brains, but she couldn't find one. There was no song for this moment.  
A small kick from her abdomen brought Clary out of her reverie. She pressed a hand to where her third child was growing. Jace placed his hand atop hers. This is it, she thought. This is our forever.  
She tilted her head up to look at him. He planted a soft kiss to her forehead. He closed his eyes and whispered:  
"_Merry Christmas, Clary_."

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**A/N: I really hope you enjoyed it. Thanks for reading! Please review! **


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